Zach Edey Future Celtic Declares for Draft

[Atzar]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

[gouki88]

The next Mark Eaton?  Eaton was 7'-4" and in 11 seasons put up 6 pts and 8 rebs.  Eaton was drafted in 1982 in the 4th round (yes, apparently they had 10 rounds back then).  Edey can't be any slower than Eaton can he?

I say he is totally worth a second round pick and a 2-way contract (we will have 3 available next season).  There will always be second round level guards and wings that are available but how often do you get a shot at a 7'-4" player?  I can see teams not wanting to risk a first round pick on him (which comes with a guaranteed contract) but if we take him with a second, he can be a 2-way like Davison was this season.  Give us a chance to see what we got.

I say this without ever having seen him play.  The key with these big prospects is not so much their foot speed but rather do they have the reactions to keep up with the speed of the game.  He seems to have that based on the highlights.  Often, these bigs are kind of a beat slow in reacting to the ball.  Again, that all looked OK to me based on the highlights so I say give him a chance.

The game is only slightly different now than it was when Eaton was drafted.

The key is absolutely foot speed, insofar as not being bbq chicken on the perimeter.

[liam]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

I agree. I think he might be able to be a situational bench player. With NBA conditioning he might get a little faster but he's going to be a big slow guy. If he can add a jump shot he might be able to turn into a poor man's Brook Lopez. Lopez is not quick and plays in drop coverage. Edey looks downright lumbering but he has good hands and a decent BBIQ. Taking him with a second round pick might be a risk worth taking but he has some work to do to carve out a spot even at the end of the bench. I prefer picking Grant Nelson in the second round as he has more of a modern NBA skill set.

[KG Living Legend]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

I agree with the previous poster. Garza was an auto-bucket too in college (24ppg to Edey's 22ppg). Boban played in the NBA so long just because he could score in spurts. Edey will be lucky to have any part of his career be as good as Kanter's first 6 seasons.

[tenn_smoothie]

KG - I'm all for drafting this kid with our 1st round pick. Celts need a strong big down low to compete with Embiid, Lopez, Jokic, Towns and a few others I'm probably forgetting. I am not suggesting that Edey will be as skilled as some of these guys, but we need someone with the size and strength of the bigger NBA centers that we struggle with. But, unlike you, I am sure Brad can screw this up given his aversion to big post players.

As for Kanter becoming a "distraction" for the league, God Bless the guy for having some real conviction and for telling the truth.
He has integrity, unlike Lebron James, who only becomes vocal when it serves his personal agenda, $$$$$$$.

[Celtics2021]

Zach Edey will not last more than 3 years in the NBA.

[KG Living Legend]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

I agree with the previous poster. Garza was an auto-bucket too in college (24ppg to Edey's 22ppg). Boban played in the NBA so long just because he could score in spurts. Edey will be lucky to have any part of his career be as good as Kanter's first 6 seasons.

 TP smoothie! And Garza is a bad comp. Zach is a half a foot taller. Garza has a standing reach of 8'11'

 Timelord standing reach is 9'3: four inches higher

 Shaq 9'5" Yao Ming 9'8"

Edey is 9'9"  ten inches higher than Garza. Whole different class of Human.

[Birdman]

Reminds me of Joe Kline or Eric Montross

[mobilija]

KG - I'm all for drafting this kid with our 1st round pick. Celts need a strong big down low to compete with Embiid, Lopez, Jokic, Towns and a few others I'm probably forgetting. I am not suggesting that Edey will be as skilled as some of these guys, but we need someone with the size and strength of the bigger NBA centers that we struggle with. But, unlike you, I am sure Brad can screw this up given his aversion to big post players.

As for Kanter becoming a "distraction" for the league, God Bless the guy for having some real conviction and for telling the truth.
He has integrity, unlike Lebron James, who only becomes vocal when it serves his personal agenda, $$$$$$$.

Kanter may have some heart felt convictions and may be trying to do something good but to hold him up as some paradigm of truth is as deluded as still thinking Fox News is honest news.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/sports/basketball/enes-kanter-freedom-nba-activism.html

[Smartacus]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

I agree with the previous poster. Garza was an auto-bucket too in college (24ppg to Edey's 22ppg). Boban played in the NBA so long just because he could score in spurts. Edey will be lucky to have any part of his career be as good as Kanter's first 6 seasons.

 TP smoothie! And Garza is a bad comp. Zach is a half a foot taller. Garza has a standing reach of 8'11'

 Timelord standing reach is 9'3: four inches higher

 Shaq 9'5" Yao Ming 9'8"

Edey is 9'9"  ten inches higher than Garza. Whole different class of Human.

My lazy comparison for Edey (who has Chinese Heritage on his mother's side) has been 'what if Yao Ming was a bit shorter and never developed a 3 point shot?' Edey grew up playing Hockey in Canada and didn't live in the Chinese sporting academies growing up like Yao did but I think they have a similar fluidity and strength in their post movement.

I think Yao would be better in today's NBA than the post banging era that he played in. Edey's lateral quickness is a question mark but he has been productive both of his years of College and I believe that he could be a rotation level player in the NBA. Sign me up for Edey at 33. I won't be crushed if we don't draft him but I think it would be a great use of the cost controlled early 2nd round pick.

[liam]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

I agree with the previous poster. Garza was an auto-bucket too in college (24ppg to Edey's 22ppg). Boban played in the NBA so long just because he could score in spurts. Edey will be lucky to have any part of his career be as good as Kanter's first 6 seasons.

 TP smoothie! And Garza is a bad comp. Zach is a half a foot taller. Garza has a standing reach of 8'11'

 Timelord standing reach is 9'3: four inches higher

 Shaq 9'5" Yao Ming 9'8"

Edey is 9'9"  ten inches higher than Garza. Whole different class of Human.

Edey is a monster no doubt. It's hard to project him into the modern NBA.

[liam]

Is there any footage of Edey playing against someone who is not a foot shorter than him?

[gouki88]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

I agree with the previous poster. Garza was an auto-bucket too in college (24ppg to Edey's 22ppg). Boban played in the NBA so long just because he could score in spurts. Edey will be lucky to have any part of his career be as good as Kanter's first 6 seasons.

 TP smoothie! And Garza is a bad comp. Zach is a half a foot taller. Garza has a standing reach of 8'11'

 Timelord standing reach is 9'3: four inches higher

 Shaq 9'5" Yao Ming 9'8"

Edey is 9'9"  ten inches higher than Garza. Whole different class of Human.

Garza is a bad comp, because Garza has good offensive skills

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Why do we have to jump straight to outlandish comparisons to Shaq and declarations of top-five-center upside?  For a late-second-to-undrafted prospect like this, it makes much more sense to talk about whether he has an NBA future at all.  People did the same thing with Tacko.  Love the guy, but it turns out that there was a reason he went undrafted.

Can he be Kanter?  A situationally-useful big who can score… produced in a pinch with Portland but doesn’t defend well enough to earn a consistent rotation spot.  Would nonetheless probably still be on an active roster if he didn’t become a distraction.

What about Boban?  Good offensive big with great touch, hopeless defensively, but sticks around in the league because everybody loves him. 

Luka Garza?  College monster, NBA project.

This is the tier where I’m looking for comps for Edey.  Get to this level… THEN let’s talk about Shaq, lol.

 Why? Because hes better than all the players mentioned. Hes of course no Shaq. Wanted to make the point that like Shaq. There is nothing you can do once he has deep position.

 Hes an automatic bucket and that will help any team.

I agree with the previous poster. Garza was an auto-bucket too in college (24ppg to Edey's 22ppg). Boban played in the NBA so long just because he could score in spurts. Edey will be lucky to have any part of his career be as good as Kanter's first 6 seasons.